The Man in the Sky told me so...

Tonight Ms. C and I went to see the Invention of Lying then we went for Sushi. I think the Man in the Sky wants me to be happy, so he gave me Ms. Coil and a shared affinity for fish with rice and seaweed. AI Sushi- so very good - yummmm!

Anyway, before tomorrow comes and I forget this blissful fullness I thought I should share my thoughts about The Invention of Lying. And for Man in the Sky forbid, if you haven't seen the movie and don't want spoilers...stop reading NOW!!!

The beginning of the movie is REALLY dark and depressed. The characters, the tone, even the humor is very dark so at one point Ricky Gervais' character says people don't have anything to live for when they don't believe anything happens after they die so they treat each other like crap. These people all tell the truth and blurt out every hurtful thought that pops into their heads and there's no ramifications for all this truth telling. There's no joy for that matter. I like the Pepsi ad - when Coke's not available (very funny). I did cringe when I saw his 10 rules on Pizza Hut cardboard boxes and they drank Budweiser in every other scene. I kept thinking oh, nice product placement, so yeah, I cringed at that. Oh, before I forget, Pirate Radio preview - for anyone who's ever worked at a rock station and enjoys Brit-rock and a little anarchy with his Phillip Seymour Hoffman- looks like a must see!

So, I knew going in that Ricky Gervais is a TOTAL Atheist and really that's ok...he's no more a godless heathen than any other actor in Hollywood, so my expectations are low. I cringe when the discussion turns political and anti-Catholic because I don't need to argue nor defend my beliefs and I knew that this movie talks about God as part of some lie on Gervais' character's part. I read the descriptions for the movie and I was prepared for the anti-God movie. There were some parts that I cringed at but it wasn't because I was offended or belittled. At the end of the end of the movie, he confesses to Jennifer Garner's character that he made up the "man in the sky" to help his mom as she's passing, and at the end of the end of the movie the people don't all start lying which is where I thought the movie would go, but I thought it had an interesting idea.

When Gervais' tells everyone that there's something in the after-life, they all get really happy (not everyone - some wait to die for things to get better) and they think they have 3 strikes or they're out so they're nicer to one another. Yes, they all think if they're good they'll get a mansion and no, that's how I view religion, but in one part he nailed it on the head. I know that there is a heaven and it is a wonderful place and yes, I absolutely believe in it and some days that belief in Jesus and God and heaven is what gets you through the day. That silly saying - What would Jesus do - does teach you to treat others nicely. Fear, is a good thing if that's what keeps you on this side of humanity. I think having that faith of the after-life is something that you either have or never will.

Anyway, the movie was good. It made me think about my own faith in the God and the afterlife and I appreciated the fact that I know I shouldn't be scared when my time comes because there are better things on the other side.

ITS SUPPOSED TO BE A VACATION....WTF?

So, I have some serious gripes about the last few weeks! First, I was supposed to go to Breckenridge with my co-worker Jennifer but of course my Dad got sick. In the end it was fine because mom and dad needed me more than I needed new fancy socks from the sock store in Breckenridge. If you've never been, they really are worth a trip to the snowy resort shop. I love all kinds of socks; comfy, funny, practical, not at all practical, short, tall, thick, thin, etc. and the Sox Store leans towards the comfy - fun - thick side of sock stores. Last year, I also bought a pair of socks for B. that expand in water VERY COOL. He still wears the reindeer fun socks.
Anyway, I was ever so bitter and selfish about not getting to go but I knew we had a week off coming up and I thought at least I still have that time coming to screw around. maybe, we'd go see some movies or make some cards - whatever.
Well, I've been smote again. On Friday afternoon, I came home and I WAS SICK. I spent most of Saturday in bed. On Sunday, David took B. to Sunday school, bought pumpkins, groceries, and let me rest the whole day. By Monday, I thought I was getting better but I lost my voice. I thought I was just hoarse from being sick. By Tuesday my husband had enough and told me to go to the Dr. because I was definitely worse not better. He's probably tired of sleeping in the spare bedroom trying not to get sick.
So, after a $30 office visit and $35 worth of medicine - I found out that I did in fact start out with viral infection and I also have a secondary bacterial infection that prevented me from getting better. So, um yeah, it's Thursday and while I sound like crap - can barely talk above a whisper - I think I'm getting better. I hate being sick and while I hate being sick - I don't know what's worse, being sick during a vacation or wasting personal leave days for illness. On one level, I don't have to worry about a sub or lesson plans, but on the other hand...ugh, I've WASTED this entire week. I have this weekend, so hopefully, I won't be a waste of skin the whole week, but now I'm angry. I need a vacation!

Disappointments and Responsibilities

So, yesterday evening my dad went to the hospital for what he thought was the flu. His doctor freaked out and admitted him to the hospital. He's had 3 pints of blood and some other medications. He's had internal bleeding on top of the flu and previously diagnosed with cancer. Needless to say, it was an ugly night last night. My cousin Kevin dropped my mom off at the hospital and she had my son with her since I was still at work. She left the hospital around 4:30 while it was still daylight. At 6:30 my husband panicked that she still wasn't home and they couldn't find her anywhere between the hospital and home.

My mother ended up across town at a Burger King. The nice girl at the register told me mom to use her cell phone. When my mom couldn't get a hold of my husband, (she can't call me at work because we can't have a cell phone on us...anyway) she didn't know who to call. My son told her that he knows Michael's phone # and dialed the phone all by himself. This is not a revelation that my son knows how to call Michael. We do it often and I'm glad that he knows. My revelation is that my son was level-headed in a stressful situation. My mom was pretty freaked out about getting SOOO lost. She started crying. My son told Michael (after he raced across town) that he was scared, but he told my mom that it's OK and that everyone makes mistakes.

So, like I said, last night was ugly. My husband told me that I should stay here instead of go to a conference. I have a great boss who told me it was OK for me to stay in town and that family comes first. My good old Catholic guilt is bothering me about not going, but my great Catholic guilt would haunt me if I left town and wasn't here for my mom. On the way over to the hospital, my mom started crying and said, "What will I do without him?" That's a hard thing to hear. I played the Oh mom, you're fine. In reality she really would be fine, but that's not what she was referring. I know what she meant, and I guess I didn't like knowing that my mom truly needs my dad. I don't know if she loves him because they fight like cats and dogs, but she relies on him and him on her.

It's hard to know when my dad is really sick since he's such a hypochondriac, but I could tell that he needed my mom and was sad when she went home today.
I'm totally bummed that I am missing a fun weekend with a bunch of hippies-granola crunching Art teachers who think make up is the devil, but I know that my mom needed me more than my dad and I needed to stay.